Where Love Is, There God is Also
The story is about a shoemaker named Martin Avdeitch. Martin was a fine cobbler known for doing beautiful work. He was known for keeping his promises with his customers. He worked in the basement of his home. Through the one small window of the basement he could see only the feet of people. As people walked past his small window each day, he came to recognize most people by their shoes as he had repaired most of the shoes at least once.
Other than working as a cobbler, he kept to himself. He chose this lonely way of life because the loss he felt from the death of his wife and all their children through a fever that sickened everyone in his family. In grief, he denied God wondering how He could allow such a thing to happen to him.
One day a friend visited Martin when he felt especially alone. His friend was a missionary who urged Martin to live his life for God. He promised Martin that God would not deny him if he would trust and follow Him. His friend also said, “you are in despair, because you wish to live for your own happiness.” Those words sank deep into Martin’s soul. After this encounter Martin went out and bought a Bible and began to read. At first he read only on holidays. But, as he read more steadily, his habit became daily. His life became full with peace and joy.
After a hard day of work he sat next to his lamp and read the bible. On one such night, Martin read a passage about a Pharisee who had invited Jesus into his house. Martin was surprised that Jesus would enter the Pharisee’s home because he thought of those persons as only living for themselves. Martin thought of himself as the Pharisee in that story because he also saw himself as one who lived only for himself. That night as Martin slept, he dreamed that he heard the voice of God tell him that He would visit him the next day. The next morning, Martin skeptically watched out his window for God. While he was searching for God he saw his neighbor shoveling away snow. Martin invited him in for a warm drink and they talked for a while. Martin told his neighbor about Jesus' and the Pharisee. His neighbor was touched by his dream and the story of the Pharisee. The neighbor later left and thanked Martin for the food, both for the soul and body. Martin later saw a young woman outside with a baby not properly dressed for the cold. He invited her in for some food and gave her warmer clothes and a little money. Martin also told her about Jesus and she thanked him after the heat of his home warmed her. Then he saw a young boy stealing apples from an old woman who sold the fruit for money. He went outside and settled their argument as he extended love and compassion towards the both of them. That night while Martin wondered why God had not visited him, three figures appeared in his home of the people he had showed hospitality to that day. They said that when he helped them he was helping God. Martin then realized that God had indeed visited him. He turned to Matthew 25: "For I was hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in…” On the lower part of the page he read this: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Martin understood that his dream did not deceive him; that the Savior really called upon him that day, and that He really received him. (portions adapted from Wikipedia)
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I enjoy this story because it reminds me that turning outward will make me happy. And, turning outward to think more about others will surely help me feel the love of an accepting God close to me. Hence, “Where love is, there God is also.”
